The present invention relates generally to lifters for mounting on refuse collection vehicles.
It is well known to employ refuse container lifters for automatically lifting and dumping large residential refuse collection containers or carts. Such lifters are typically mounted on the rear of refuse collection trucks, adjacent to the refuse hopper See U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,988,864, 6,921,239, 6,884,017, and 6,503,045, as well as published U.S. application number U.S. 2005/0169734, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The above-referenced patents and published application generally disclose refuse receptacle lifters that are movable between a retracted position and an inverted, dumping position for engaging, lifting and inverting refuse receptacles of the type including spaced-apart upper and lower lift surfaces, such as bars. The lift surfaces are typically located on or firmly secured to the container body in a recessed area to provide upper and lower engagement surfaces for engagement by the lifter.
Such lifters commonly include an actuator. In the referenced patents and published application, the actuator is a rotary hydraulic actuator. However, other types of actuators, such as piston-type or electric actuators, may also be used. The rotary actuator includes an output shaft that has a pair of lift arms mounted thereto The lift arms carry an upper hook for engaging the upper lift surface on the refuse container. A pair of actuator arms are pivotably mounted to the base and carry a face plate on their free ends having a lower hook associated therewith for engagement with the lower lift surface on the refuse receptacle Each of the lift arms has a second actuator arm pivotably connected thereto. Each lift arm is also connected for sliding engagement with its associated first actuator arm to effect movement of the lower hook in concert with the upper hook to engage, lift and invert the refuse container Specifically, upon rotation of the output shaft of the rotary actuator, the upper hook is moved into engagement with the upper lift surface of the refuse receptacle, the face plate moves into contact with the surface of the refuse receptacle, and the lower hook engages the lower lift surface of the receptacle lifter. As the output shaft continues to rotate, the refuse receptacle is lifted and inverted to dump its contents.
A commercially available lifter having the structure as described above is available from Perkins Manufacturing Company, of LaGrange, Ill., as the Model D 6400 “TuckAway” lifter.